I’d like to tell you about a really neat program taking place this summer at the Bay View Family YMCA. It begins with a story.

On his first day of summer camp at Camp Bay View, 9-year old Kyle tried to climb the camp’s imposing rock wall. He couldn’t even get past the first footholds. With the encouragement of his counselors, on the second day he tried again. He got a little farther, but not much. Frustrated, he insisted that he would never get on the wall again.

But his counselors patiently worked with Kyle and continued to encourage him to at least try. So, over the next few days Kyle kept going back, gaining confidence. By the end of the week, he successfully reached the top of the 50-foot wall.

For any other kid, this might be a typical summer camp success story. But for Kyle, who struggles with autism, this was a huge accomplishment. It meant that he had successfully monitored his anxiety and overcome his frustration enough to achieve a goal.

It’s basic skills like these that are the focus of the UNYFEAT summer camp program, coordinated through Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism Treatment (UNYFEAT), an advocacy organization for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. For the last five years, the group has worked with the YMCA of Greater Rochester to offer children with autism the opportunity to experience the fun, friends and excitement of summer camp that so many other kids take for granted.

The basic idea behind the program is that all kids, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, should have the opportunity to enjoy a traditional summer camp. UNYFEAT kids are integrated completely within the regular camp population, riding mountain bikes, sailing, hiking, climbing the rock wall and playing games along with everyone else. But while they’re doing all this, they’re also working on basic social skills like making choices, taking turns talking, acknowledging disappointment — and overcoming frustration.

This year Camp Bay View is hosting 37 UNYFEAT campers, who are assisted by a team of certified teachers and paraprofessionals. This is the second year Camp Bay View has participated in the program, which benefits more than just the UNYFEAT campers. The camp’s counselors received additional training in disability awareness, and by interacting daily with their UNYFEAT peers, all of the other Bay View campers are learning to work with kids who might not be socially adept. It’s a win/win for everyone involved.

Which brings us back to Kyle. When he had finally reached the top of the climbing wall, and looked down at his fellow campers, everyone was clapping and cheering for him. Later, he told his counselors it was “the best day I ever had at summer camp.”

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Missy Rosenberry, a graduate of Cornell University, spent many of her post-college years in radio, advertising and public relations. After taking most of the 1990s off to have her three children, she is now a full-time teaching assistant for the Webster school district, and a part-time karate instructor. She and husband Jack have lived in the Webster/Penfield area with the kids for 11 years. She'd like to use her blog to help others learn more about the Webster community.

Roderick Spratling is a husband and father of two who has lived in the community for over 18 years. Born and raised in Detroit, Spratling is a 1976 graduate of Michigan State University who earned a master’s degree in Manufacturing Management & Leadership from RIT in 2004. He’s a Purchasing Consultant in Global Purchasing for Xerox Corp., and he enjoys softball, bowling, photography, and traveling.